EFFICIENCY OF HEAT PUMPS USE ON RAILWAY TRANSPORT

The article reviews the history of invention of heat pumps, as well as the physical processes occurring during their operation. The main attention is paid to the efficiency of thermal energy utilization for space heating, heating of process water in the cold season and air conditioning in the warm season. In particular, the article considers modern systems based on heat pumps and the need to modernize rolling stock and buildings subordinated to Ukrzaliznytsia.Heat pumps are devices that allow the efficient transfer of heat from the environment (air, water or ground) into a room, which makes them highly demanded for heating and air conditioning. The benefits of heat pumps are obvious, as they can significantly reduce energy consumption compared to traditional heating methods such as gas boilers or electric heaters. In contrast, a heat pump can utilize the environment as a source of energy, converting it into heat with high efficiency. Heat pumps can significantly reduce running costs as their coefficient of energy conversion (COP) can exceed 4, meaning that it takes less energy to generate one kilowatt of heat from a heat pump than a traditional electric heater or boiler. Thus, switching to such systems is cost-effective and allows for a more stable and efficient supply of heat and hot water in buildings and facilities.In addition, the article addresses the important issue of how the use of outdated electrical and boiler equipment incurs significant maintenance and operating costs and negatively affects energy efficiency. Unlike traditional systems, heat pumps can significantly reduce these costs by providing a higher degree of energy conversion and minimizing energy use losses.Thus, the transition to modern systems based on heat pumps not only helps to reduce energy costs, but also meets environmental requirements by reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.